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anyone know how to 'clean' a computer?

dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
edited March 2007 in Technical Stuff and Help
my sister is selling her computer and i said i would find out how to get rid of all the stuff on it... basically make it so that the person who bought it turns it on and its like a new PC!

is this quite easily done?? (she has no CD's or discs with windows on it as it came pre-installed... and she has a Dell PC)

i just dont want her handing over a computer that has her personal details on it... would it be easier to create a new user with full admin rights and then delete my sisters "user profile" from the machine :confused:
oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • memememe Posts: 4,695
    I have no idea, but I need to know this as well :)
    ... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
  • JennytreeJennytree Posts: 5,340
    an answer shall follow pending consultation with fellow 'computer geeks' :p
    This is me:
    http://www.facebook.com/jennytree

    SMELL YER MA!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    Jennytree wrote:
    an answer shall follow pending consultation with fellow 'computer geeks' :p

    thanks :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • JennytreeJennytree Posts: 5,340
    Right - hows that for effort!!
    [13:53] Matt: format hard drive, install windows, install programs
    [13:53] Matt: that's the easiest/best way of going about it
    [13:54] Jenny: thats what I thought, only problem is that there's no install cd's
    [13:54] Matt: is there a repair/recovery disc?
    [13:55] Matt: if so, try running that
    [13:55] Jenny: and if not?
    [13:55] Matt: failing that, i'd say uninstall all non-standard software, delete all documents
    [13:55] Matt: then create a new user account
    [13:55] Matt: give it admin rights
    [13:56] Matt: and then delete the previous users folder from c:\documents and settings\
    [13:56] Matt: and also delete the user itself
    [13:56] Jenny: okies... thankoo!

    Anything else, just leave a message after the beep!
    This is me:
    http://www.facebook.com/jennytree

    SMELL YER MA!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    Jennytree wrote:
    Right - hows that for effort!!


    Anything else, just leave a message after the beep!


    goooo Matt :D thank him from me as i know he was doing well on his online Dungeons & Dragons game


    cast yer eye on this...

    http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

    and do you think this is a good idea as well?


    EDIT: ahhhhhh no PM Jennington???? have i freaked you out that badly!!! :( :( ;):D
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • JennytreeJennytree Posts: 5,340
    dunkman wrote:
    goooo Matt :D thank him from me as i know he was doing well on his online Dungeons & Dragons game


    cast yer eye on this...

    http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

    and do you think this is a good idea as well?


    EDIT: ahhhhhh no PM Jennington???? have i freaked you out that badly!!! :( :( ;):D


    depends on who yer selling it to! If yer selling to a fellow computer nerd, then maybe, but if its a general joe soap then no as the previous action should do the job! Also, you could get similar software for free on http://www.download.com

    And no pm, trust me you've stopped freakin me out months ago, and other people were looking for the info so thought I'd share!
    This is me:
    http://www.facebook.com/jennytree

    SMELL YER MA!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    Jennytree wrote:
    depends on who yer selling it to! If yer selling to a fellow computer nerd, then maybe, but if its a general joe soap then no as the previous action should do the job!

    And no pm, trust me you've stopped freakin me out months ago, and other people were looking for the info so thought I'd share!

    many thanks Jenny.. :cool:


    she's selling it to a General Joe Soap, weirdly enough thats his real name although he isnt in the army anymore :eek: so much appreciated.. i'll buy ye an ice-cube in London :)


    *must work harder on freaking out skills*
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • turnedmyworldtoblackturnedmyworldtoblack Posts: 151
    There is a program called the Magic Jelly Bean Software,,google it,, and that will grab your windows license out of your registry... write that down.

    BITTORRENT your version of windows XP,

    burn the image file to a disk

    insert disc in your comp and format your comp with that disk and install a new windows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    support.dell.com will then have every driver file you need to make your computer work!! (Sound, internet!)!!!!!!
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    turnedmyworldtoblack wrote:
    There is a program called the Magic Jelly Bean Software,,google it,, and that will grab your windows license out of your registry... write that down.

    BITTORRENT your version of windows XP,

    burn the image file to a disk

    insert disc in your comp and format your comp with that disk and install a new windows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    support.dell.com will then have every driver file you need to make your computer work!! (Sound, internet!)!!!!!!


    eh... wow!!! :) but
    culchie wrote:
    13:55] Matt: failing that, i'd say uninstall all non-standard software, delete all documents
    [13:55] Matt: then create a new user account
    [13:55] Matt: give it admin rights
    [13:56] Matt: and then delete the previous users folder from c:\documents and settings\
    [13:56] Matt: and also delete the user itself
    [13:56] Jenny: okies... thankoo!


    that just seems a bit easier you know :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • Low_Light03Low_Light03 Posts: 1,227
    How old is the dell? My Dell computers have a recovery thing that completely restores the computer to the original brand new setting. It deletes everything. I think you just hit the CTRL and F11 keys at once during the DELL startup screen, I can find out exactly what keys to hit if you are still interested.
    If You Give, You Begin To Live

    But You Might Die Trying
  • aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,117
    For sure you want to format the hard drive and re-install a clean version of the OS.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    Low_Light03 wrote:
    How old is the dell? My Dell computers have a recovery thing that completely restores the computer to the original brand new setting. It deletes everything. I think you just hit the CTRL and F11 keys at once during the DELL startup screen, I can find out exactly what keys to hit if you are still interested.


    thats exactly what we had to do!!! :cool:

    i went round to see her and her computer wouldnt reboot.. just had Unmountable_boot_volume or something like that.. big blue screen etc... looked up Dell support and it gave me this solution.
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • corduroy41corduroy41 Posts: 94
    Does said computer have Windows XP installed?

    If so, have you tried System Restore, assuming it hasn't be disabled?

    Does this Dell have any such option to create recovery discs for purposes such as this?

    If all else fails, I've heard that some Dell customers have been lucky enough to call tech support and have the required cd's mailed to them, of course with a giant explanation and proof of purchase.

    I'm way too high to think about this shit. :)
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    corduroy41 wrote:
    Does said computer have Windows XP installed?

    If so, have you tried System Restore, assuming it hasn't be disabled?

    Does this Dell have any such option to create recovery discs for purposes such as this?

    If all else fails, I've heard that some Dell customers have been lucky enough to call tech support and have the required cd's mailed to them, of course with a giant explanation and proof of purchase.

    I'm way too high to think about this shit. :)


    i cant do system restore as i cant get passed this big blue screen with Unmountable_Disk_Volume or whatever it was... her comp just went tits up and she had never made a recovery disc as she's not computer savvy

    i'm doing the dell recovery procedure tonight which involves holding down CTRL and F11 or something... i have printed out the helpsheet so i hope it works for her !!

    then once its done i will make her a recovery CD to give to the person she's selling it to :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • corduroy41corduroy41 Posts: 94
    Far out.
  • eMMIeMMI Posts: 6,262
    dunkman wrote:
    i cant do system restore as i cant get passed this big blue screen with Unmountable_Disk_Volume or whatever it was... her comp just went tits up and she had never made a recovery disc as she's not computer savvy

    i'm doing the dell recovery procedure tonight which involves holding down CTRL and F11 or something... i have printed out the helpsheet so i hope it works for her !!

    then once its done i will make her a recovery CD to give to the person she's selling it to :)

    whoa. I was just reading through this thread and didn't understand a word! well, with the exception of 'computer' and such..

    if I ever have to do something like that I too am gonna need a brother (ok, a sister will do aswell.) to do it for me! :o

    :D

    anyway, that's all. carry on. :p
    "Don't be faint-hearted, I have a solution! We shall go and commandeer some small craft, then drift at leisure until we happen upon another ideal place for our waterside supper with riparian entertainments."
  • TenJamTenJam Posts: 97
    Eraser is free and very good.
    http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/download.php

    I have used it many years.

    I just want to make sure that, are you aware that even if you delete files they are still there. If I were you I would erase hard drive.
    [13:55] Matt: failing that, i'd say uninstall all non-standard software, delete all documents
    [13:55] Matt: then create a new user account
    [13:55] Matt: give it admin rights
    [13:56] Matt: and then delete the previous users folder from c:\documents and settings\
    [13:56] Matt: and also delete the user itself

    After that I would use Eraser to "Erase unused disc space"...
    and it can be done with just right-clicking a mouse.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    eMMI wrote:
    whoa. I was just reading through this thread and didn't understand a word! well, with the exception of 'computer' and such..

    if I ever have to do something like that I too am gonna need a brother (ok, a sister will do aswell.) to do it for me! :o

    :D

    anyway, that's all. carry on. :p


    what is this 'computer' thing you speak of :confused:


    :p
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
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